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CBI to investigate Sonia assassination attempt

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to hand over the probe into the mysterious death of an engineer from whose home a note about Sonia Gandhi's assassination was recovered a few days ago to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Official sources said a letter requesting that the investigation be entrusted to the CBI was being sent to the Union home ministry.

The request for the CBI inquiry comes in the wake of conflicting reports about the exact place and date of recovery of the body of one A R Venkatraju, an assistant engineer working with the South Eastern Coal Fields Limited, and his home town.

One report said he belonged to Madurai and his body was found between Akaltara and Kapal railway stations. Another report said he hailed from Coimbatore and the body was recovered from Akaltara, two days before Sonia Gandhi's scheduled visit to Bilaspur on February 25.

According to a state government release issued late last night, Venkatraju's body was found on the railway tracks in Bilaspur on February 18. During the course of the investigation, the police searched his home and reportedly found a note written by Venkatraju in English, indicating he had information about the possible threat to the lives of Sonia Gandhi and her family.

UNI

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